History Main / Infodump

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Infodumping is a type of {{Exposition}} that is particularly long or wordy. Although it can be done in a way that is unintrusive or entertaining, most infodumps are [[CaptainObvious obvious]], intrusive, [[ViewersAreMorons patronizing]], and sometimes downright boring. Specifically, if the premise of your story is laughably ridiculous, an infodump will call attention to the fact. The absolute worst is the gratuitous infodump, which painfully restates that which has already been adequately shown, just to make the reader suffer. For these reasons, 'infodump' is often used as a pejorative. Even worse, one character may be [[AsYouKnow saying it to another who is fully aware of it already]], for no good reason besides filling in the audience.

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Infodumping is a type of {{Exposition}} that is particularly long or wordy. Although it can be done in a way that is unintrusive or entertaining, most infodumps are [[CaptainObvious obvious]], intrusive, [[ViewersAreMorons patronizing]], patronizing, and sometimes downright boring. Specifically, if the premise of your story is laughably ridiculous, an infodump will call attention to the fact. The absolute worst is the gratuitous infodump, which painfully restates that which has already been adequately shown, just to make the reader suffer. For these reasons, 'infodump' is often used as a pejorative. Even worse, one character may be [[AsYouKnow saying it to another who is fully aware of it already]], for no good reason besides filling in the audience.

Infodumping is a type of {{Exposition}} that is particularly long or wordy. Although it can be done in a way that is unintrusive or entertaining, most infodumps are [[CaptainObvious obvious]], intrusive, [[ViewersAreMorons patronizing]], and sometimes downright boring. Specifically, if the premise of your story is laughably ridiculous, an infodump will call attention to the fact. The absolute worst is the gratuitous infodump, which painfully restates that which has already been adequately shown, just to make the reader suffer. For these reasons, 'infodump' is often used as a pejorative.

Intensive infodumping about the world itself (called {{Expospeak}}) is most commonly used in SpeculativeFiction, where the reader cannot necessarily make assumptions about the way the fictional universe works. Some Speculative Fiction writers, such as Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams, make a virtue of their infodumping (which can sometimes go on for ''pages'') by making it funny and therefore pleasurable to read. Writers of less comedic works must work hard to avoid heavy infodumping unless they are ''sure'' that they can make it entertaining. Many choose to avoid intensive infodumping altogether through the use of [[AllThereInTheManual supplemental material]]. If the character does it repeatedly, then he or she is MrExposition.

to:

Infodumping is a type of {{Exposition}} that is particularly long or wordy. Although it can be done in a way that is unintrusive or entertaining, most infodumps are [[CaptainObvious obvious]], intrusive, [[ViewersAreMorons patronizing]], and sometimes downright boring. Specifically, if the premise of your story is laughably ridiculous, an infodump will call attention to the fact. The absolute worst is the gratuitous infodump, which painfully restates that which has already been adequately shown, just to make the reader suffer. For these reasons, 'infodump' is often used as a pejorative. \n\n Even worse, one character may be [[AsYouKnow saying it to another who is fully aware of it already]], for no good reason besides filling in the audience.

Intensive infodumping about the world itself (called {{Expospeak}}) is most commonly used in SpeculativeFiction, where the reader cannot necessarily make assumptions about the way the fictional universe works. Some Speculative Fiction writers, such as Terry Pratchett Creator/TerryPratchett and Douglas Adams, Creator/DouglasAdams, make a virtue of their infodumping (which can sometimes go on for ''pages'') by making it funny and therefore pleasurable to read. Writers of less comedic works must work hard to avoid heavy infodumping unless they are ''sure'' that they can make it entertaining. Many choose to avoid intensive infodumping altogether through the use of [[AllThereInTheManual supplemental material]]. If the character does it repeatedly, then he or she is MrExposition.

->''"Holy Macaroni, they're '''still''' talking? This means they haven't stopped for two days now. Don't they need showers or food or anything? Do they just feed on exposition or something?"''-->-- [[Creator/AllisonPregler Obscurus Lupa]], ''[[TheHowling Howling VII]]'' [[http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/teamt/ol/olp/32931-howling-7-new-moon-rising review]]

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->''"Holy Macaroni, they're '''still''' talking? This means they haven't stopped for two days now. Don't they need showers or food or anything? Do they just feed on exposition or something?"''->''Could you slow down? I wasn't this lost when I read ''[[{{Literature/Dune}} Heretics of Dune]]''!''-->-- [[Creator/AllisonPregler Obscurus Lupa]], ''[[TheHowling Howling VII]]'' [[http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/teamt/ol/olp/32931-howling-7-new-moon-rising review]]'''Yorick''', ''ComicBook/YTheLastMan''

->''Holy Macaroni, they're '''still''' talking? This means they haven't stopped for two days now. Don't they need showers or food or anything? Do they just feed on exposition or something?''-->-- ObscurusLupa, ''[[TheHowling Howling VII]]'' [[http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/teamt/ol/olp/32931-howling-7-new-moon-rising review]]

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->''Holy ->''"Holy Macaroni, they're '''still''' talking? This means they haven't stopped for two days now. Don't they need showers or food or anything? Do they just feed on exposition or something?''something?"''-->-- ObscurusLupa, [[Creator/AllisonPregler Obscurus Lupa]], ''[[TheHowling Howling VII]]'' [[http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/teamt/ol/olp/32931-howling-7-new-moon-rising review]]

Infodumping is a type of {{Exposition}} that is particularly long or wordy. Although it can be done in a way that is unintrusive or entertaining, most infodumps are [[ExpositionBomb obvious]], intrusive, [[ViewersAreMorons patronizing]], and sometimes downright boring. Specifically, if the premise of your story is laughably ridiculous, an infodump will call attention to the fact. The absolute worst is the gratuitous infodump, which painfully restates that which has already been adequately shown, just to make the reader suffer. For these reasons, 'infodump' is often used as a pejorative.

to:

Infodumping is a type of {{Exposition}} that is particularly long or wordy. Although it can be done in a way that is unintrusive or entertaining, most infodumps are [[ExpositionBomb [[CaptainObvious obvious]], intrusive, [[ViewersAreMorons patronizing]], and sometimes downright boring. Specifically, if the premise of your story is laughably ridiculous, an infodump will call attention to the fact. The absolute worst is the gratuitous infodump, which painfully restates that which has already been adequately shown, just to make the reader suffer. For these reasons, 'infodump' is often used as a pejorative.

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